For democracies around the world, Russia once again looks as it did for much of the 20th century — like a threat to international peace and stability. How did this come to be and what does the future hold for Russia, its neighbors, and its relationship to the U.S.?
The Davis Center is pleased to announce a year-long series of interviews and discussions attempting to answer these very questions, “Russia: In Search of a New Paradigm — Conversations With Yevgenia Albats.”
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression against sovereign Ukraine in February 2022, much has been said and written about Russian imperialism, the threat it presents to Europe and the world, and the necessity for governments globally to unite against Putin's Russia. Over the past two and a half years, Russia has occupied almost 20% of Ukrainian territory, reinstated a Soviet-style military-industrial complex, moved toward establishing what some have called a new "axis of evil" — strengthening relationships with China, North Korea, and Iran, as well as embracing the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hamas in Gaza — and put the planet on the brink of World War III.
In weekly conversations with veteran Russia watchers — including historian Stephen Kotkin, economists Oleg Itskhoki and Sergei Guriev, White House reporter Peter Baker, and columnists Susan Glasser and David Hoffman — Dr. Albats will probe the questions that interest her most, and hopefully the audience as well: Why did Russia evolve into an aggressive militaristic power? Was it the inevitable result of its imperial past or an outcome of reforms introduced after the USSR fell apart? Where has Putin found the resources to run the war despite massive economic sanctions imposed by the West? What did economists get wrong about Russia's economic capacities? Will Moscow go for all-out war in Europe? What are the meaningful similarities and differences between today and the Cold War era? Will the Russian Federation survive in its current form and size or fall apart? What role will China play in Russia's future? And is there any chance for Russia to return to the road of democratic development?
Beginning Sept. 10, join us in person on Tuesday afternoons throughout the 2024-2025 academic year for discussions that are sure to cover many other questions as well! Keep an eye on our YouTube channel, where recordings will be uploaded after each event. Transcripts will be available on our website to keep the conversation going. And you can keep abreast of the speaker line-up by signing up for the Davis Center newsletter or checking our events page.
